Friday, July 14, 2006

Will the UN Protect Hizbollah Kidnappers--Again?

In response to Israel's reaction to Iran's twin proxies Hamas and Hizbollah infiltrating Israel to kidnap IDF soldiers, Kofi Annan is taking action: sending a team of three, led by by Vijay Nambiar--Annan's political advisor, along with UN Middle East envoys Alvaro de Soto and Terje Roed Larsen.

Nambiar and de Soto are your garden variety UN representatives, making general statements about the need for peace and humanitarian considerations and condemning violence--combined with condemnations of Israel's reactions to attacks on her citizens.

Vijay Nambiar, when he was India's Permanent Representative said in 2003:
"Israel remains oblivious of the limitations of its uni-dimensional policy based on a military approach that relies on the might of its forces without recourse to a concomitant political approach. Its policy of military blockades, curfews and restrictions perpetuate continued dislocation of normal life, economic deprivation and loss of freedom and further demoralisation of the Palestinian people," Mr. Nambiar said.

"This has led, inevitably, to continuing acts of violence and retribution against Israeli forces and civilians," he said.
Commitment to the Oslo and the Roadmap, return of territory, and allowing Arafat to establish the PA don't count. Palestinian attacks are inevitable reactions to Israeli action. Apparently, if there is a cycle of violence--Israel started it. Of course, that was when Nambiar was India's representative to the UN.

Meanwhile, in connection to the Hamas kidnapping, De Soto said:
Señor de Soto called on Corporal Shalit’s kidnappers to release him as soon as possible, saying: “It does not serve any Palestinian interest to continue to hold this hostage.” However, he said that the UN was “very alarmed at the situation, particularly the humanitarian one”. He reminded Israel of its obligations under international law not to punish civilians and to ensure that it did not react with undue harshness.
According to de Soto, Israel is guilty of breaking international law--the Palestinians are guilty of not being pragmatic

And then there is Mr. Larsen, who bought the lie about Jenin, a lie exposed by the Palestinians as well.

His name also comes up in connection with another Hizbollah kidnapping:
On October 7, 2000, Hezbollah forces illegally crossed the Israeli border with Lebanon through a UN patrolled area and kidnapped three Israel Defense Force soldiers, Adi Avitan, Binyamin Avraham, and Omar Souad. UNIFIL peacekeepers videotaped the incident; however, the United Nations denied possessing any such videotape for almost nine months. On July 6, 2001, The UN admitted, contrary to their earlier denials, that they had possession of the tape as of 18 hours after the incident occurred.
About that UN denial:
Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer demanded that the tape be handed over to Israeli officials. He complained that UN Special Envoy to the Middle East Terje Larsen had denied the existence of the tape as recently as late June. "Since the kidnapping we have claimed all the time that there is a videotape in the hands of a UN peacekeeper. We asked for it many times. Unfortunately they said no, and no, and no," he said. Some Israeli officials have hinted that UNIFIL unwittingly played a role in the kidnapping. UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard has categorically denied this.
Events played out like this:

October 7, 2000: Hizbollah kidnapping

Seven hours after the kidnapping, UNIFIL officers find Hizbullah's getaway cars. They find and catalogue 53 items in the cars, including fake UN flags, stickers and UNIFIL license plates. The amount of blood in the vehicles indicates that the occupants "may have been badly injured and may succumb to their injuries."-- but Athmanathan's assessment is not communicated to senior UN or Israeli officials.

October 8, 2001: An Indian UNIFIL officer films the vehicles' recovery, during which armed Hizbullah terrorists detain the convoy and demand the vehicles at gun-point. The UNIFIL Force Commander turns the vehicle over to Hizbullah "to avoid confrontation and because they were not United Nations property."

July 6, 2001: UN finally admits to having the tape, but won't turn it over because they must remain neutral.

Kofi Anan calls for an internal investigation following indications that UNIFIL had hidden the existence of the tape from Israel and senior UN officials for months and the UN "did not deliberately mislead the Israeli government."


July 15, 2001: A third video clip that "purports to show still photographs of Hizbullah fighters during the abduction itself" is shown on Lebanese TV.

July 16, 2001: According to the UN internal investigation:
General Athmanathan informed Mr. Guéhenno that, on 11 July, UNIFIL had learned of the existence of another videotape (hereafter referred to the Shebaa tape). This videotape, which did not indicate any time or date, nor the identity of the person filming, showed the shelling of IDF posts on 7 October, three to four kilometres from the abduction site, as well as activity in a UNIFIL shelter. The footage on this videotape is of the bombardment of Israeli positions along the Blue Line, and shows smoke that could be of the burning Israeli jeep. It appeared to be filmed from several locations, including from in or near a United Nations observation post and shelter.
The video was not of the kidnapping itself.

July 30, 2001:
US Congress adopts resolution 411-4 for UN to release video

August 2, 2001: The UN releases the results of its investigation. Read report here.

UN admits "serious errors of judgement were made, in particular, by those who failed to convey information to the Israelis, which would have been helpful in an assessment of the condition of the three abducted soldiers." But:
Rather than giving the tape directly to Israel, though, the UN decided place sharp restrictions on when and how Israel could view the tape, allowing Israeli officials to view the tape only three times, at neutral sites in Geneva and Austria. The UN also refused to turn over the aforementioned items, which were bloodstained personal belongings of the IDF soldiers and UN officials fervently denied the existence of a third tape, a tape that many Israeli officials claim may have offered the most direct and useful information.
According to the Jerusalem Post:
Israel Ambassador to the UN Yehuda Lancry announced that Israel had accepted the UN's offer to view an edited version of the video [of the recovery], in which the faces of Hizbullah terrorists who may have been involved in the kidnapping are obscured.
According to Palestine Facts:
Only heavily edited versions were eventually turned over to Israel, indicating a cover-up was still operating in the matter, probably to protect UNIFIL personnel who were involved or who were negligent in their duties. An Indian member of UNIFIL gave an interview to an Israeli newspaper in which he said that four Indian members of UNIFIL helped Hezbollah carry out the abduction.
November 1, 2001: Israeli army rabbi Israel Weiss pronounces the soldiers dead.
Their remains have yet to be recovered.

Among the conclusions of the internal investigation:
The videotape of 8 October was the catalyst for this investigation. There is nothing in the Indian Battalion videotape that justified its release to any party on elementary considerations of humanity. The investigation team uncovered the existence of another tape that, despite the fact that it was taped on 7 October, and the fact that it was filmed in a nearby location, also contains no information that bears on the well-being of the soldiers. The Force Commander's initial assessment and subsequent assessments by other senior officials has not varied: neither the tape nor the photographs contain any information that relates to the well-being of the soldiers. The investigation team concludes that at no time was videotape or other photographic material relevant to the condition of the soldiers withheld.
Apparently the sole justification for handing over the tape is whether it indicates the condition of the kidnap victims. The possibility that revealing the identity of Hizbollah kidnappers could lead to the rescue of the hostages is not a consideration.

There remain loose ends aside from the negligent handling of the situation by the UN from the beginning. Even if it is true that UNIFIL hid facts from UN officials, the implications of the sloppiness of how the whole affair was mis-handled go all the way to the top.

So when the UN comes to town, there will be--as always--low expectations.

Check out David Kopel at the Volokh Conspiracy who has lots more--including information on eye-witness testimony by a member of UNIFIL that UNIFIL was there during the kidnapping and could have prevented it; also information on how Hizbollah has been bribing UNIFIL officials.

Also see Soccer Dad, who puts this in context with the death of UN observers on Tuesday.

Crossposted at Israpundit

Technorati Tag: and and and and .

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have some interesting points here.
I agree with you on not to expect much of the UN envoys.

As for the EU, I hope and think we are slowly awakening and perhaps now begin to comprehend the nature of the destructive, fundamentalist forces that are at play in the Middle East and Israel's situation.

Daled Amos said...

The outcome of Israel's operation in Lebanon, dependent to a large degree on world opinion and pressure, will be the litmus test to see to what degree your hope is justified.

Anonymous said...

I am deeply shocked to hear this as most Indians are. Most Indians view Israel as a common friend in the war against terror and would rather see the Indian soldiers fight on the Israeli side of the border.

The Indian Government must court martial these soldiers and award the strictest possible penalty if they are found guilty. The Indian Government must also apologise to the Israelis and stand by their Israeli friends in their hour of crisis.

Anonymous said...

what's with all the self pity? so the UN should stop attacks on IDF but do nothing about IDF strikes. Is it also okay policy to shoot down IAF aircraft? After all, that is what peace keeping is about according to you.

Maybe the IDF should do the job they are paid for instead of expecting the UN to do it for them.

Innuendoes about Indian involvement cannot cover up the fact that the IDF seems incapable of protecting its own soldiers and feels the need to blame other people for it. Talk about a complex!

Daled Amos said...

The points you raise assume either that no distinction should be made between terrorism and waging a legitimate war--or--that Hezbollah's tactics are in fact legitimate and not terrorism at all.

Maybe that vagueness is the reason Hezbollah claimed to be 'surprised' by Israel's response.

Anonymous said...

For starters, I'm Indian and we've been at the receiving end of terrorism for as long as you have been.

When Hezbollah bombs civilians targets, that is Terrorism. Hitting troops on the other hand is a legitimate military action. Painting both with a broad brush stroke is not a good idea. But it is precisely this mixing of both from what is perceived as the common Israeli's view, which makes Hezbollah a legitimate force in the eyes of people in Lebanon.

The eventual end to terrorism has never been and never can be military power. That's a lesson both India and Israel need to learn.

The only way to end it is when there is more to gain from peace than war. Destroying homes has not achieved that end for so long, so why persist with that tactic. It would be naive to suggest that I have all the answers so I won't. There are very smart people in Israel and the rest of the Middle East who can probably work that out.

As for your part about "An Indian member of UNIFIL gave an interview to an Israeli newspaper in which he said that four Indian members of UNIFIL helped Hezbollah carry out the abduction...."

The Indian Army is a disciplined force and I take exception to you bandying libel about it. Israel always has had and always will have problems with UN forces. But picking on individual nations is not exactly a great solution. Since the allegations originally stem from an Israeli newspaper, the Maariv, Let me send you what an Indian newspaper, the Hindu has to say about it.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/07/16/stories/03160006.htm

And to my compatriot who is so ready to apologize, what can I say? Maybe Google can help you with research, yes? (I'm sorry if that sounds offensive)

As for editing the tape, UNIFIL has rules of engagement far more strenuous then any other armed group (terrorist organization or legitimate national army) in Lebanon. Taking sides and giving a tape with the faces of the kidnappers (intelligence assistance??) would have been counted as taking sides, and would have put UN "peacekeepers" at risk. They are supposed to keep the peace, not force it down people's throat.

My reply may seem frequently add odds with itself but that is the nature of the conflict. To end this far too long may I presume to quote a great man

"If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. It is true God promised it to us, but how could that interest them? Our God is not theirs. There has been Anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that?" – David Ben-Gurion
The answer perhaps is that while Israel cannot morally justify a lot of its actions it is perhaps still necessary to carry them out for survival of the state. I only take issue with you trying to justify all your actions as moral and painting everyone else as “Bad people”. That solution is far too simplistic and smacks of a Bush world-view.

Daled Amos said...

You imply that the question of whether Hezbollah is a terrorist group depends on the day of the week, on whether they decide on a particular day to bomb an Israeli city with bombs loaded with shrapnel to increase civilian casualties or whether they decide to run into Israeli territory and kidnap some soldiers.

I find it an artificial distinction. Besides, the tactic of kidnapping soldiers in order to bargain for the release of terrorists is itself terrorism--pure and simple.

You write: The eventual end to terrorism has never been and never can be military power Not true. Check out Bernard Lewis' book the Assassins, about a Moslem terrorist group that was wiped out in a military strike.

The only way to end it is when there is more to gain from peace than war. When the raison d'etre of a terrorist group such as Hezbollah (or Hamas or Fatah) is to destroy Israel--there is nothing from them to gain from peace: it would mean the end of them.

Your sentiment is nice, but that does not mean it can be applied across the board.

I only take issue with you trying to justify all your actions as moral and painting everyone else as “Bad people”. I agree it is a simplistic solution--it is also a simplistic accusation, and smacks of the attacks often made blindly on Bush.

Anonymous said...

Allright agreed. You can't be a terrorist one day and something else the next.

I haven't ever read the book but I will now.

But I disagree with you labelling the accusation as simplistic. It is anything but that.

Your whole argument seems to be that because Hezbollah is evil, anything Israel does( and that includes levelling whole apartment complexes) is right. Yes, there probably were terrorists inside but so were little kids. What justifies killing them? I'm not saying Israel is wrong but its not right either. The world is not that simple.

Incidentally I like Bush a lot(He looks like he's pro-India) but his entire take on the world is summed up by "You are either with us or against us". Do you see a parallel between that and how you view the conflict?

Still, apart from the degree of violence to be used I agree with the broad thrust of your remarks.

Good Luck!

Daled Amos said...

I called your accusation simplistic because when I look at what I have written, I don't see what serves as your basis for saying that "Your whole argument seems to be that because Hezbollah is evil, anything Israel does( and that includes levelling whole apartment complexes) is right."

Other than that, I think we are in basic agreement.